NRCM Blog

Maine's environment loses a champion

Everyone at NRCM is very saddened by the death of Harry Richardson.  As a leader of the Republican party in the Legislature in the late 1960s and early 70s, Harry championed many environmental causes, including leading the effort to create the  Land Use Regulation Commission. He was appalled by Plum Creek’s proposal to develop the Moosehead Lake region and for the last three years had represented Maine Audubon and NRCM in opposing the Plum Creek proposal in front of LURC.  He led our legal team with passion, enthusiasm, and humor, playing the anti-Plum Creek "Ballad of Moosehead Lake" at high decibels in his convertible in the parking lot of the hearing!  He will be sorely missed.

Read the full Portland Press Herald news story about Harry here.

Cathy Johnson
North Woods Project Director and Staff Attorney

"Darth Vader" returns - Plum Creek is at it again

Once again Plum Creek’s bad behavior has put them in the spotlight.  When Seattle-based Plum Creek came to Maine in 1998 they had a reputation as the “Darth Vader” of the timber industry - a brand put on the company by a Republican congressman from Washington state who was upset over the company’s aggressive and controversial forest practices. 

Here in Maine, just a few years ago, NRCM used Maine’s Freedom of Access Act to review internal documents, which we used to compile a report on Plum Creek’s bad logging practices.  We found that Plum Creek had received the largest fine in state history for 18 violations of Maine’s Forest Practices Act.  Not only had Plum Creek broken the law by overharvesting, it had also destroyed deer wintering areas, violated water quality laws, and developed a power line corridor through a forest without a permit.

If we needed any confirmation that Plum Creek hasn’t changed, we got it last week. A group of local citizens and sportsman (The Native Forest Network) warned that the company was logging near a deer wintering area in Indian Stream Township (just west of Greenville) and were likely preparing to cut in the area.  After the story was reported, the company admitted that it had logged in the deer wintering area in violation of the agreement they had made with the state.  This was the same agreement Plum Creek signed to protect these critical deer wintering areas after public outrage flared over the violations reported by NRCM.  Since the Native Forest Network reported the likely violations, Plum Creek has denied members access to the area.

But this wasn’t the only bad news about Plum Creek last week.  Since late this fall, NRCM has been researching Plum Creek clearing on Kibby Mountain in Kibby Township (northwest of the Bigelow Preserve).  Again we reviewed internal documents and put together a detailed report of Plum Creek’s logging violations.  We found that Plum Creek, after ignoring the “stop work” recommendation of an independent inspector, caused significant erosion resulting in an unprecedented 900-foot mudslide.  You can find the story here.  Plum Creek spokesman Mark Doty said this was “not a mudslide,” instead, he said, “There was an erosion event in which sediment moved down a hill.”

These stories paint a bleak picture of Plum Creek management and give us great concern for the future of the Moosehead Lake region.  We don’t believe that a company that repeatedly violates fundamental Maine natural resource laws, rules, and agreements can be trusted to protect our Moosehead Lake region or treasured North Woods.

Diano Circo
North Woods Policy Advocate and Outreach Coordinator

Canada Lynx Get Habitat Protection in Maine

Looks like Maine is once again home to critical habitat for the Canada Lynx.  This would overturn the 2006 decision not to designate critical habitat in Maine.  There isn’t a map linked to this news release but they do say that over 9,000 square miles of Maine is included.  My guess is that this is very close to what was designated before.  This is good news. 

Diano Circo
North Woods Policy Advocate and Outreach Coordinator

From a Portland Press Herald news update today:

"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has reversed a 2006 decision and announced today that nearly 10,000 square miles of northern Maine forestland will be protected as critical habitat for Canada lynx..."  Read the rest of this news story.

Read the full U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service news release here: http://www.fws.gov/news/NewsReleases/showNews.cfm?newsId=A953CB8A-0A91-A120-C59E1BD38E43C712

Your Legislator's Vote May Be Critical

The legislative session is in full swing, and your voice can make all the difference!  We hope you will join us in Augusta on Tuesday, March 17, for a very “green” day here at NRCM: St. Patrick’s Day and Citizen Action Day.

Last year, by just a ONE VOTE margin, Maine set energy efficiency standards for new buildings.  Your legislator could be the one vote margin needed this year to protect our rivers, keep toxics out of our environment and families, invest in land for Maine’s future, and strengthen Maine’s energy efficiency efforts.

Mark Your Calendar! 

Citizen Action Day is Tuesday, March 17th and provides you with the opportunity to learn about this year’s environmental priorities and hear expert tips about how to communicate effectively with your legislators.  Afterwards, we’ll walk together to the State House (just one block away) to talk with your legislators about the environmental bills that matter to you. What a great way to let the legislators, who work for you know what you think, and to make a difference.

Please register online or RSVP to Beth Dimond at beth@nrcm.org or (800) 287-2345 ext. 206. We hope to see you on St. Patrick's Day at NRCM's office in Augusta.

Hot Tips, Cool News

When it comes to energy issues, everyone agrees that Maine needs a new direction. There are 100 energy bills being discussed in Maine’s State House. For the first time, the federal government is seriously focused on global warming legislation—as an opportunity to further stimulate our economy with a clean energy renewal. Here at NRCM we are working to design and help build a secure energy future for Maine. With so much going on we wanted to let you know about some great events, as well as opportunities for you to get involved.

About once a month, NRCM sends an e-news update called Hot Tips, Cool News! to our members and activists interested in clean energy and global warming. If you haven't yet signed up to receive this e-newsletter, you can sign-up today by sending an email with your name and email address and a subject line of "energy news" to nrcm@nrcm.org. 

Hot Tips
Get Audited  Have an energy audit done on your house to find out exactly how you use the energy you are paying for and where you can start economizing.  It's more fun than getting audited by the IRS and more likely to save you money. For a list Maine certified energy auditors click here.
Keep It Low  Turn down your thermostat 10 degrees or more when you are sleeping or away from home.  An automatic timer makes this task easier.
Our Environment's in Hot Water  Install a tankless "on-demand" hot water heater.  Running a conventional hot water heater is like leaving a kettle boiling 24 hours a day in case you want a cup of tea!

Cool News
Maine businesses urge congressional delegation to lead fight to help stop climate change Business leaders from across Maine gathered at the Maine State House on February 4th to release a letter to Maine’s congressional delegation, urging swift, strong, and effective action to help address the threat of climate change. The letter was signed by more than 100 leading Maine businesses such as Hannaford Brothers, Lee Auto Malls, Oakhurst Dairy, Verso Paper, Lamey Wellehan, Mattson Development, and the Harraseeket Inn. To read the letter and to learn more click here.

A green cheer for the stimulus bill The stimulus package will invest $37.5 billion in energy savings, including $4.5 billion to boost the energy efficiency of federal buildings; $6.3 billion for local energy efficiency and conservation grants; and $5 billion to weatherize homes, all of which promises to put idle construction workers back on the job, and the list goes on. Read more here.

America has become the world leader in wind power Last year the U.S. ramped up wind-power capacity to 25,000 megawatts (MW), overtaking the previous leader, Germany. The U.S. added 8,400 MW of installed power in 2008, more than any other country. Read more about this news here, or visit NRCM’s wind power pages to find out what’s happening right here in Maine.

As you can see, this is a busy time for clean energy work in Maine. Please consider signing up for our monthly energy and global warming e-newsletter. To sign up, please send an email with your name and email address and a subject line of "energy news" to nrcm@nrcm.org. To learn more about upcoming energy-related events, visit www.nrcm.org/energy_events.asp. 

Thank you for your interest in Maine’s clean energy future,

Emmie Theberge
NRCM Clean Energy Outreach Coordinator

Birds wintering farther north than 40 years ago. Have you seen any in your backyard?

Do you have a comment about this news story or this issue? Read the article and leave your comment on our blog! Thanks for your interest in NRCM’s work.

Birds Wintering Farther North, Audubon Says
Associated Press news story, February 10
As printed in the Portland Press Herald

"An Audubon Society study...found that more than half of 305 birds species in North America, a hodgepodge that includes robins, gulls, chickadees and owls, are spending the winter about 35 miles farther north than they did 40 years ago.

The purple finch – New Hampshire's state bird – was the biggest northward mover. Its wintering grounds are now more along the latitude of Milwaukee, Wis., instead of Springfield, Mo.

Bird ranges can expand and shift for many reasons, among them urban sprawl, deforestation and the supplemental diet provided by backyard feeders. But researchers say the only explanation for why so many birds over such a broad area are wintering in more northern locales is global warming."

Read the full article here.  And let us know if you have seen any birds this winter that you haven't seen around your yard before.  Thanks!

Beth Dimond

PS - For more about birds and global warming, read our interview acclaimed conservation ecologist Dr. Jeff Wells.

Hundreds Attend Global Warming Protest

    NRCM staff got a kick out of this.  We thought you might too.

Businesses Urge Congressional Delegation to Lead Fight for Climate Change Action

Do you have a comment about this news story or this issue? Read the article and leave your comment on our blog! Thanks for your interest in NRCM’s work.

Maine Businesses Focus on Climate Change
Maine Public Radio news, February 4, 2009

"All eyes in Washington are on the economic stimulus package before Congress.  But here in Maine, more than 100 businesses have joined the Natural Resources Council in calling for swift passage of a strong, effective climate security bill in the coming year.  They've signed a letter to Maine's congressional delegation asking for leadership.  Moderate Republican Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins are once again likely to be center stage in the debate over this controversial issue.

With Maine businesses as diverse as Hannaford Brothers, Oakhurst Dairy, Lee Auto Malls and Verso Paper signed onto the letter,  environmentalists say they are building momentum to address the threat of climate change.  But they say support from Maine Senators Snowe and Collins will be crucial, as powerful interests like oil and gas and the coal industry push back.  The coal lobby is already running television advertisements in Maine in preparation for the next big Congressional battle.   And as Brownie Carson of the NRCM puts it:  the battle lines are being drawn."   Read the rest of the Maine Public Radio news story here.